By James Robert Kayindi
St. Mary’s Kitende, the 2014 defending champions of the East Africa Secondary Schools Games in the boys’ football pool, have been banned for one year from the annual competition following their unsporting actions. The Kitende football players reportedly attacked and beat up Kenyan referee Ngarambe Frangois in the aftermath of their semifinal loss to Tanzania’s Alliance on Saturday 22nd August at Huye Campus in Butale, Rwanda.
The three trophy winners at this year’s competition were also fined USD 1,000 and players involved in the scuffle were banned for life from the game.
Federation of East Africa Secondary Schools Sports Association (FEASSSA) Justus Mugisha confirmed the developments to Soka.ke.
“We made a decision last night and reached a ban of one year plus a fine of 1000 dollars for the violent act by the school. Part of the money will go to the referee’s treatment while some to the destroyed property. The players involved according to the match officials report have also been banned for life. That means that neither the school nor the players banned will participate in any tournament both at home and in the region until they serve the ban.”
Kitende won three titles; boys’ basketball, the girls’ basketball and netball.
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